“Draw closer to God in prayer”
In seeking God’s help, we need to spend time alone with God. James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…” Knowing God and being able to talk to Him will give meaning and purpose to our existence. God truly loves us. (Romans 8:38-39) He is always there, his hand outstretched, waiting for us to seek Him. He has so much to…
“What am I here for?”
Self-acceptance and being accepted by others is vital to maintain our self-worth and a positive attitude. While we know this is true, at times we still have feelings of little or no self-worth. Studies have brought out that one step in developing one’s self-worth is the need to excel in something; to feel successful; to experience growth. If a person stops growing, he begins to decline. Often times, especially as we get older, we may feel…
Saturday
While Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, you know He could hear them coming. In Matthew’s account he says that when they came, they brought with them a legion of soldiers, which could have amounted to six thousand men (Matthew 26.52-53). When they seize Jesus and I think we can use that word loosely, they “bound him” according to John 18.12, and they bound Him” as they sent Him to Caiaphas. Funny isn’t it? They are trying…
Did God create evil?
At first it might seem that if God created all things, then evil must have been created by God. However, evil is not a “thing” like a rock or electricity. You cannot have a jar of evil. Evil has no existence of its own; it is really the absence of good. For example, holes are real but they only exist in something else. We call the absence of dirt a hole, but it cannot be separated from the dirt.…
Where/How do you draw the line between helping someone and allowing someone to take advantage of you?
These verses and many others in the Bible teach us that Christians are to be loving, merciful, and self-sacrificing. As we see the needs of people all around us, our hearts should be full of compassion just as our Heavenly Father has compassion towards all people. “The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made” ( Psalm 145:9 ). It is right to have a heart that would continually give to others, and it…
Are We A Runner or A Stander?
Award winning, Western author and novelist, Stephen Bly, writes that in the days of America’s Old West, there were two types of friends — “runners” and “standers.” At the first sign of trouble, the runners would bolt, abandoning their so-called “friends” to whatever peril they were facing. The stander would stand beside their friend no matter what the circumstances. While awaiting death , some “friends” who had ministered with the apostle Paul , turned into runners and abandoned him…
Reasons to Rejoice
The Bible speaks a number of times regarding rejoicing. David once stated, “This is the day which the Lord has made ,” and then he added, “We will rejoice and be glad in it ” ( Psalm 118:24 ). Why isn’t that just as true today as the day David wrote it? A celebrated writer once wrote, “Every new day is a miracle.” The point: “the Lord did not owe us another day, but He gave it to us.”…
Feeding the Wolf
In 1 Corinthians 9:27 , the inspired apostle Paul wrote, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” The Holy Spirit ’s teaching of “self-control” in the life of the apostle Paul can be further illustrated in the following story: An old grandfather counseled his grandson who was angry at a friend who had done him an injustice. “Let…
“What Would You Do If You Could Do It All Again”
Most of us have regrets in our lives. Maybe you made a bad financial decision or maybe you treated someone badly. It is so easy for us to dwell on the past and how badly we messed things up. We sometimes think our lives would be better if only we hadn’t made that poor choice. Some people would just like to have a life “DO-OVER.” If that is you, I have good news. When you become a follower of…
“Be a Friend a Friend Would Like to Have”
If I had you write down a list of things that you looked for in a friend, what would that list look like? That list might look a little like this: Someone that makes me laugh, someone that helps me when I need help, someone that is unselfish, and someone that just enjoys being around me. We get so caught up in our own lives that often times we forget to be a friend to our friends. A wise…
“Give Forgiveness You’ve Been Denying”
Forgiving someone who says they are sorry is something most of us can do relatively easy. But, what do you do when someone has wronged you and doesn’t say they are sorry and is unrepentant? The way I see it, we really have no choice. Either we forgive or we slowly poison our mind and heart. If we hold on to unresolved bitterness it will destroy us. Matthew 6:14-15 says for if you forgive people their wrongdoing, your heavenly…
“Speak Sweeter”
The world we live in today is often impatient, selfish and rude. If you have ever worked in retail, especially during the Christmas season, you know exactly what I mean. The way some people degrade and belittle others over small things is very discouraging. The book of Proverbs is full of wisdom and provides awesome guidance to us on how to live our lives. Proverbs 16:23-24 says t he heart of the wise instructs his mouth and adds persuasiveness…